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Fernando Mendoza and the Indiana Hoosiers’ storybook season resulted in a national championship. 

The 2025 Heisman Trophy winner lifted his team to a 27-21 signature win over Miami, defeating all the odds while punctuating a perfect 16-0 dream season.

Now we take a look into the crystal ball, as oddsmakers wasted no time in declaring some early front-runners for next season’s top player in college football award. 

Texas quarterback Arch Manning and Notre Dame standout CJ Carr are each favored, tied with +800 odds to win the 2026 Heisman Trophy.

TCU transfer and Mendoza’s soon-to-be replacement at Indiana, Josh Hoover, has third-best odds at +1100. Rounding out the top five is the Ohio State duo of Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith, with +1300 odds apiece.

After a slow start, Manning and the Longhorns made a late push toward a CFP Playoff bid after upsetting Texas A&M.

Manning capped off his sophomore season with a Citrus Bowl performance to remember, throwing for 221 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 155 yards and two more scores with his legs.

Carr excelled as the starting signal-caller for the Fighting Irish, the redshirt freshman is expected to have a larger role next season with Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price off to the NFL.

Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers seem to have struck gold once again, as Hoover was one of the most coveted quarterbacks available in this year’s portal.

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore will run it back with 13/1 odds after forgoing on declaring for the NFL draft.

Mike Turay is a sports journalist and editor who closely follows the NBA, NFL, college sports and UFC. He has demonstrated expertise in both NBA and NFL player prop bets for nearly three years. Mike is also highly knowledgeable about the sportsbook offer landscape, frequently trying and reviewing the latest apps and sites.